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VIRGINIA MAYORS LIKE MIKEEndorsed by Mayors Allison Silberberg, Kelly Burk,Derrick Wood, Kenny Alexander and Paul FraimMAYORS KNOW MIKE WILL GET IT DONEMore than 100 mayors have endorsed Mike Bloomberg forPresident because they know he can beat Trump, fix healthcare,fight climate change, increase gun safety and lead our countrywith integrity. Mike will get it done.VOTE FOR MIKE BLOOMBERGON TUESDAY, MARCH 3JOIN THESE MAYORS IN SUPPORTING MIKE BLOOMBERG FOR PRESIDENTWilliam Bell, Former Mayor of Birmingham, ALMike Dow, Former Mayor of Mobile, ALEthan Berkowitz, Mayor of Anchorage, AKRobert Uribe, Mayor of Douglas, AZDan Coody, Former Mayor of Fayetteville, ARFrank Scott Jr, Mayor of Little Rock, ARPatrick Hays, Former Mayor of North Little Rock, ARShirley Washington, Mayor of Pine Bluff, ARMarco McClendon, Mayor of West Memphis, ARVeronica Smith Creer, Mayor of El Dorado, ARHarry Brown, Mayor of Stephens, ARDaryell Howell, Mayor of Strong, ARMark Stodola, Former Mayor of Little Rock, ARBill Hodge, Mayor of Calexico, CAMary Casillas Salas, Mayor of Chula Vista, CAMarnie Mendoza, Mayor of Colfax, CAAja Brown, Mayor of Compton, CATim McGallian, Mayor of Concord, CAKuldip Thusu, Mayor of Dinuba, CAEfrain Silva, Mayor of El Centro, CALily Mei, Mayor of Fremont, CASerge Dedina, Mayor of Imperial Beach, CARacquel Vasquez, Mayor of Lemon Grove, CAJohn Marchand, Mayor of Livermore, CAAntonio Villaraigosa, Former Mayor of Los Angeles, CARob Rennie, Former Mayor of Los Gatos, CARob Schroder, Mayor of Martinez, CAYxstian Gutierrez, Mayor of Moreno Valley, CAMatt Rinn, Mayor of Pleasant Hill, CARusty Bailey, Mayor of Riverside, CALondon Breed, Mayor of San Francisco, CASam Liccardo, Mayor of San Jose, CAPauline Russo Cutter, Mayor of San Leandro, CAJoseph Goethals, Mayor of San Mateo, CAMichael Tubbs, Mayor of Stockton, CAEddie Neal, Mayor of Lemoore, CADave Potter, Mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, CAJesus Silva, Former Mayor of Fullerton, CAHeyward Robinson, Former Mayor of Menlo Park, CAMickie Winkler, Former Mayor of Menlo Park, CAWellington Webb, Former Mayor of Denver, COBill Finch, Former Mayor of Bridgeport, CTToni Harp, Former Mayor of New Haven, CTDon Slesnick, Former Mayor of Coral Gables, FLMelissa McKinlay, Former Mayor of Palm Beach County, FLEnid Weisman, Mayor of Aventura, FLStephanie Bruder, Mayor of Bay Harbor Islands, FLManny Diaz, Former Mayor of Miami, FLScott Brook, Mayor of Coral Springs, FL4 v Alexandria Gazette Packet v February 27-March 4, 2020 Neisen Kasdin, Former Mayor of Miami Beach, FLPhilip Levine, Former Mayor of Miami Beach, FLBob Buckhorn, Former Mayor of Tampa, FLSandra Freedman, Former Mayor of Tampa, FLKeith James, Mayor of West Palm Beach, FLDaniel Dietch, Mayor of Surfside, FLMichael Davey, Mayor of Key Biscayne, FLHardie Davis Jr, Mayor of Augusta, GAKaren Freeman-Wilson, Former Mayor of Gary, INGreg Fischer, Mayor of Louisville, KYAdrian Perkins, Mayor of Shreveport, LADavid Rollins, Mayor of Augusta, MEGeorge Campbell, Former Mayor of Portland, MESam Zaitlin, Former Mayor of Saco, MEVictoria Jackson-Stanley, Mayor of Cambridge, MDTracey Furman, Mayor of Kensington, MDMalinda Miles, Mayor of Mount Rainier, MDPetrella Robinson, Mayor of North Brentwood, MDJeffrey Slavin, Mayor of Somerset, MDStephanie Rawlings-Blake, Former Mayor of Baltimore, MDJim Berryman, Former Mayor of Adrian, MIKaren Weaver, Former Mayor of Flint, MIByron Nolen, Former Mayor of Inkster, MIVirg Bernero, Former Mayor of Lansing, MIKelly Garrett, Mayor of Lathrup Village, MILinda Short, Mayor of Mayersville, MSPercy L. Bland, Mayor of Meridian, MSJason Shelton, Mayor of Tupelo, MSJohn Moor, Mayor of Asbury Park, NJJanice Kovach, Mayor of Clinton, NJCollette Kennedy, Mayor of Keyport, NJAndré Sayegh, Mayor of Paterson, NJDouglas Palmer, Former Mayor of Trenton, NJAdrian Mapp, Mayor of Plainfield, NJKen Miyagishima, Mayor of Las Cruces, NMAlan Webber, Mayor of Santa Fe, NMKathy Sheehan, Mayor of Albany, NYLovely Warren, Mayor of Rochester, NYDavid Dinkins, Former Mayor of New York City, NYGary McCarthy, Mayor of Schenectady, NYMike Spano, Mayor of Yonkers, NYVi Lyles, Mayor of Charlotte, NCDon Hardy, Mayor of Kinston, NCNancy McFarlane, Former Mayor of Raleigh, NCCharles Meeker, Former Mayor of Raleigh, NCDan Horrigan, Mayor of Akron, OHLuke Feeney, Mayor of Chillicothe, OHMichael Coleman, Former Mayor of Columbus, OHKathy Catazaro-Perry, Mayor of Massillon, OHDean DePiero, Former Mayor of Parma, OHJeff Fusco, Former Mayor of Akron, OHMuhammad Robbalaa, Mayor of Fort Coffee, OKKathy Taylor, Former Mayor of Tulsa, OKDwan Walker, Mayor of Aliquippa, PABob McMahon, Mayor of Media, PAMichael Nutter, Former Mayor of Philadelphia, PAJoseph Brady, Mayor of Vandling, PARohan Hepkins, Mayor of Yeadon, PALornna Soto, Mayor of Canóvanas, PRRosachely Rivera, Mayor of Gurabo, PRJesús Edgardo Colón, Mayor of Orocovis, PRSteve Benjamin, Mayor of Columbia, SCJon Kinsey, Former Mayor of Chattanooga, TNJim Strickland, Mayor of Memphis, TNKarl Dean, Former Mayor of Nashville, TNMickii Carter, Former Mayor of Johnson City, TNJohn Cook, Former Mayor of El Paso, TXSylvester Turner, Mayor of Houston, TXBill White, Former Mayor of Houston, TXLucy Johnson, Former Mayor of Kyle, TXAndy Beerman, Mayor of Park City, UTRalph Becker, Former Mayor of Salt Lake City, UTPeter Corroon, Former Mayor of Salt Lake County, UTAllison Silberberg, Former Mayor of Alexandria, VAKelly Burk, Mayor of Leesburg, VADerrick Wood, Mayor of Dumfries, VAKenny Alexander, Mayor of Norfolk, VAPaul Fraim, Former Mayor of Norfolk, VAMark Asmundson, Former Mayor of Bellingham, WAVictoria Woodards, Mayor of Tacoma, WABrian Ebersole, Former Mayor of Tacoma, WAMuriel Bowser, Mayor of Washington, D.C.Steve Williams, Mayor of Huntington, WVVote Mike Bloomberg for PresidentSign up to volunteer at mikebloomberg.comSee how Mike and the mayors will get itdone at MayorsForMike.comPaid for by Mike Bloomberg 2020www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

NewsMapmaking PoliticsFrom Page 1on the issue,” said Sen. MarkObenshain (R-26). “They toldpeople across the commonwealthof Virginia that they supported theConstitutional amendment. Theygot elected on the basis of supporting it, and if they turn their backson their constituents there’s goingto be a price to pay.”THE POLITICS of redistrictinghave been a bugaboo in Virginiapolitics since the creation of theHouse of Burgesses in 1619, when22 members represented four cities and five slave plantations. Twocenturies later, the technology ofmapmaking can fine tune the artof packing and cracking — gerrymandering districts with scientificprecision. That’s one of the reasonsgroups like Virginia 2021 was created, to take that power out of thehands of the party in power andinstead put it into a 16-membercommission composed of eightlawmakers and eight citizens.“It would be the most comprehensive redistricting reform legislation ever passed through a statelegislature in this country,” saysBrian Cannon, executive directorwww.ConnectionNewspapers.comof Virginia 2021.The bipartisan compromise wasstruck in the closing days of the2019 General Assembly session,an agreement that was negotiatedin a secret closed-door conferencecommittee. Those negotiationstook place out of the glare of public scrutiny, and the lack of transparency didn’t help the process.One provision that emerged out ofthat conference committee was afeature that was not in the Houseversion or the Senate version, theability of the Republican-led Virginia Supreme Court to step in andmake a final determination.“I can’t trust judges to be fair onthe basis of the facts and the lawanymore,” says Del. Mark Levine(D-45). “Those days, if they everexisted, they’re certainly gonenow.” Levine and other critics ofthe amendment are supporting abill introduced by Del. Cia Price(D-95) that would create an advisory panel to suggest legislativedistricts to the General Assembly.Its basic structure is almost identical to the commission outlinedin the amendment, but there’s animportant distinction. Racial diversity on the panel of mapmakerswould be required, a stipulationthat’s not in the language of theamendment. Price announced herbill at a press conference the firstweek of session. “We wanted tomake sure that the drawing process of the maps that would protect communities of color andcommunities of interest are in theamendment.”SUPPORTERS OF THE amendment are still trying to salvage theprocess. They argue enabling legislation for the amendment cansolve some of the flaws.Critics of the amendment say it’ssimply too flawed a proposal to beenshrined into the Constitution.They worry about racial diversityon the commission, and they areconcerned Republicans might exploit the rules to have the GOPdominated Supreme Court drawmaps to benefit Republicans. Fornow, Democrats are leaving thedoor open to considering theamendment, but it’s telling that ithas not yet come to the Housefloor for a vote. Democratic leadership has until the end of the session to make that happen, butHouse leaders don’t seem to be inmuch of a hurry to make that happen.“I don’t know if it’s on the calendar,” said House Majority WhipAlfonso Lopez (D-49) when askedif the House would vote on theamendment.Alexandria Gazette Packet February 27 - March 4, 2020 5

OpinionAlexandriaGazette PacketWe Both Deserve 15.Why Don’t Our Senators Think So?By Nick Riviere andTony Hedgepethike millions of Virginians, we workhard. As home care providers, wework every day to help older adultsand people with disabilities live independently at home and in the community.By keeping people out of costly nursing homesand institutions, we save taxpayers money anddeliver quality care.We do the same work but in different partsof Virginia – Fairfax County and City of Richmond – and have different backgrounds. Oneof us is a 21-year-old assisting young adultswith developmental disabilities and one of usis a 61-year-old Army veteran helping his fellow vets who suffer from PTSD.However, we both love what we do. It’s ablessing to be able to help others live with dignity.We both deserve to make at least 15 perhour and live with dignity ourselves.LUnfortunately, our Virginia state Senatorsseem to disagree.Earlier this month, the Virginia House ofDelegates passed a bill to raise the minimumwage to 15 for all workers by 2025. They recognized that working families are falling behind no matter how hard we work, and thatwe need to build an economy that works foreveryone.The Senate, however, passed a bill whichwould create different minimum wages in different regions, even for workers who do theexact same jobs like us. Their bill also forcesworkers to wait even longer to get a raise.If the Senate bill becomes law, people working in Fairfax won’t make 15 until 2027, whilethose in Richmond won’t make 15 until 2032.Our fellow homecare providers and othersworking in Hampton Roads won’t make 15until 2034.Delaying the minimum wage increase for 14years, and paying different wages for the samework, is not only unfair; it’s Every person who works hard and plays bythe rules in Virginia deserves equal respect. Wedeserve living wages, paid sick days, affordable health care, a secure retirement, and theright to join together in a union.While the cost of living varies in differentparts of Virginia, we all feel the same pain whenwe struggle to pay rent, buy groceries and payutilities. Housing costs are skyrocketing in bothRichmond and Northern Virginia. Health carecosts, food costs and transportation costs areall increasing. We need a statewide 15 minimum wage to ensure that no one gets left behind.To our Senators, we ask: why should a homecare worker in Richmond or Roanoke make lessthan a home care worker in Fairfax when wemake the same contribution to Virginia’s families? We elected Democratic majorities to theHouse and Senate because they promised todeliver a brighter future for working Virginians. It’s time that our Senators delivered onthat promise.Assault Weapons Ban – Getting It RightBy Sen. Scott Surovellast week the Senate Judiciary Committee considered a House of Delegates’ billto regulate assault rifles and other firearm attachments. I have always supportedstronger regulation of assault rifles.I lived through the 2002 D.C. sniper attackswhile crouching in my car getting gas to avoidbeing shot. In 2016, three police officers including one of my constituents were shot withan AR-15. Officer Ashley Guindon was killedon her first day on the job. I do not supportcivilian ownership of weapons of war that areunnecessary for hunting or self-protection.Experts estimate that there are five to tenmillion assault weapons in the U.S., includingat least 100,000 in Virginia. The proposedHouse bill felonized the sale or transfer of assault weapons, certain magazines and silencers, and had no buyback program for assaultrifles. It felonized the possession of certainmagazines and silencers after two years. Werepeatedly advised the House that the votesdid not exist in the Senate, but the House choseto send the bill over by a one vote margin withthree House Democrats voting “no” and onenot voting.In our chamber, multiple Senators were concerned that the House bill did not “grandfather” guns owned by existing owners, specificlegal disposal rules, and questioned the absence of an explicit, funded gun buyback program which could turn a ban into a constitutional taking requiring government compensation. They also pointed out that many of theLassault weapon features described in the banbill are also on other types of weapons, therefore likely creating confusion for law enforcement officers and civilians and making it unclear exactly which guns were banned. Theywere clear they would not support passage thissession.The bill was also not endorsed or a priorityfor Moms Demand Action, Giffords: Courageto Fight Gun Violence, or Everytown for GunSafety.I joined three Democratic Senators on theJudiciary Committee to continue the bill to the2021 session and refer it to the Crime Commission so experts can refine and clarify thebill. That will also give us time to hold fullerpublic hearings over the summer or fall. Weexpect the Crime Commission to fully analyzeand clarify the bill to carry out our intent. Iam wholly committed to seeing this throughand we did not “kill the assault weapons bill.”We have made significant progress on firearm violence prevention. We have passed (1)universal background checks, (2) reinstatingVirginia’s “one-gun-a-month” purchase limit,(3) emergency risk protection or “red flag”orders, (4) authorizing local governments toregulate guns in public buildings, parks andevents, (5) allowing firearm forfeiture duringprotective order proceedings, (6) banned bumpstocks, and (7) increased penalties for childaccess. Legislation to broaden the crimes thatsurrender firearms rights to misdemeanorstalking and sexual battery is pending alongwith my voluntary Do Not Sell List legislation.Passage of these bills is unprecedented andFollow the MoneyBy Sen. Adam EbbinWith every bill having been putthrough its initial paces, the General Assembly has now turnedhistoric.Many Other Bills AdvanceWith three weeks left, we have two dozenmajor bills on education, transportation, energy, environment, labor, criminal justice reform, equity and a 110 billion budget to consider. The legislature has sent at least 15 ofmy bills to Gov. Ralph Northam, including mylegislation prohibiting holding a phone whiledriving and a bill banning “conversion therapy.”My legislation to tighten up Virginia’s loosepredatory lending laws awaits the Governor’ssignature and predatory lending establishments, like those dotting the U.S. 1 Corridor,must stop charging 120-400 percent interestrates on six-month loans and will likely packup and leave. Both the House and Senate budgets included my initiative to conduct a studyto extend the Blue Line Metro to Prince William County.The Senate also approved over 1.2 billionin new funding for K-12, a three percent payraise for teachers, 200 new school counselors, 81 million for subsidized preschool and 96million for free community college for somedisadvantaged students. We voted to createMedicaid-funded adult dental coverage, a fivepercent pay increase for home health care workers and increased mental health care funding.We proposed the largest contribution ever to theWater Quality Improvement Fund. A joint HouseSenate committee will now resolve the differences in the two budget bills.This is an historic session. I hope you will emailyour comments to me at scott@scottsurovell.org.An independent, locally owned weeklynewspaper deliveredto homes and businesses.Published byLocal Media Connection LLC1606 King StreetAlexandria, Virginia 22314Free digital edition delivered toyour email box. Go toconnectionnewspapers.com/subscribeNEWS DEPARTMENT:gazette@connectionnewspapers.comEditor & PublisherMary Kimmmkimm@connectionnewspapers.com@MaryKimmJean CardProduction Editorjcard@connectionnewspapers.comJeanne mannMediaJanet Barnett, John Bordner,Mark MogleContributing ey RuheContributing Photographer and Writergazette@connectionnewspapers.comEden Brown, Michael Pope,Hope NelsonContributing For advertising 431Debbie FunkDisply Advertising/National ara LloydDisplay Advertising, 703-740-7128tlloyd@connectionnewspapers.comDavid GriffinMarketing .comClassified & EmploymentAdvertising703-778-9431PublisherJerry Art/Design:Laurence Foong, John Heinly,Ali KhalighProduction Manager:Geovani FloresEditor Emeritus:Mary Anne WeberCIRCULATIONCirculation Manager:Ann Olivercirculation@connectionnewspapers.comA Connection NewspaperThe Alexandria Gazette Packet is distributed weeklyto selected homes in the City of Alexandria.Any owners or occupants of premises that do notwish to receive the paper can notify the publisherby telephone at 703-778-9426 or by email tocirculation@connectionnewspapers.com, and thedistributor will be notified to discontinue service.Town Hall with Sen. Adam Ebbin, Del. Paul Krizek and Sen. Scott SurovellEVENT Re-scheduledon Saturday, March 14, Noon to 2 p.m. at Walt Whitman Middle School.more attention to the budget process. As a new member of the Finance and Appropriations Committee, I’m excited by the assignment of helping craft Virginia’s6 Alexandria Gazette Packet February 27 - March 4, 2020estimated 142 billion two-yearbudget. I sit on three Finance Subcommittees — Health and HumanResources, General Government,and Public Safety. For the last twoweeks, these committees have metregularly to prune members’amendments, make adjustmentsto Governor Northam’s proposedSee Follow, Page 7www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

LettersDifficult and Time ConsumingDear Editor,As a resident of Alexandria living near theOld Town, I can say from experience thatnothing has been more difficult and timeconsuming than finding parking spaces nearmy home. Rather than adding ease and convenience, owning or operating a car in thisarea is becoming genuinely burdensome.The problem of parking lot and parkingspace scarcity is compounded by construction, development waivers, and even bikelanes, which collectively make the neighborhood a practical anti-car area, at timeseven inaccessible to vehicles.The Old Town is not Manhattan; it is stillat its heart an old, traditional neighborhood,a place where people live and others visitduring the weekend to enjoy a good time.It is unrealistic and unsustainable to expectthose that frequent or live here to purchasea bike or scooter just to be able to reliablyvisit the neighborhood. This is not, after all,some designated car-free zone, but in practice it might as well be due to the lack ofparking lots and parking spaces.Personally, I have consciously put off orcancelled Old Town plans several times because the parking crisis made visiting a business or meeting up with friends impossiblewith my own vehicle.I believe our city planners should considerbuilding a public parking deck or similarfacility somewhere in the neighborhood inorder to alleviate the impossibly high demand on our limited parking situation.I’m not alone in these conclusions - conversations with nearly every one of myneighbors yield the same complaints andcalls for a solution. We need action on this,and we need it now.Raad AlshammariAlexandriaFollow the MoneyFrom Page 6budget, and allocate additional funding.Governor Northam’s budget, which wassent to us in mid-December, emphasized anumber of my priorities including education, housing, and healthcare. Despite awww.ConnectionNewspapers.comstrong economic bounceback from the 2009recession, our budgets have remained fairlyconservative — focusing on shoring up reserves. While financial security is critical,our limited resources have often left workSee Follow the Money, Page 9Alexandria Gazette Packet February 27 - March 4, 2020 7

Pet GazettePhotographs courtesy of AWLAA daily “kong” filled with mouth-watering chow makes the days goquickly for Sugar at the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.Cookie the cat follows the little red ball in “clicker training” withvolunteer Sandy Garlick at the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.Shelter Staff Jumping ThroughHoops to Keep Animals EntertainedBy Barbara S. Moffetnimal Welfare League ofAlexan-dria (AWLA)volunteer Sandy Garlicksat on the floor of a catenclosure holding a metal stickwith a little red ball at the end. Along-haired, gray and white catnamed Nicky, normally a bit skittish around people, reached a pawup to touch the ball, promptingGarlick to press on a clicking device and give Nicky a food treat.Then, they did it all over again.Who says cats can’t be trained?Nicky was just one of dozens ofshelter animals who have learnedto respond to the combination ofclicking and treats or toys, finding new ways to bond with people.“Clicker training is one of the bestways to build trust between peopleand animals,” said AWLA Volunteer Program Coordinator BrendaMaier. “They’re learning togetherand having fun at the same time.”Volunteer Garlick got interestedin clicker-training cats when

Manor, of Bittersweet catering and Vola’s Dockside Grill. “He . Mayor of San Francisco, CA . Pauline Russo Cutter, Mayor of San Leandro, CA Joseph Goethals, Mayor of San Mateo, CA Michael Tubbs, Mayor of Stockton, CA Eddie Neal, Mayor of Lemoore, CA Dave Potter, Mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA